Hearts defender Craig Halkett has declared that the impending returns of Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland from injury could provide a crucial boost to the team's Scottish Premiership title aspirations at a pivotal moment in the season.
Key Players Set for Comeback
Australian midfielder Cammy Devlin, who was widely regarded as the club's standout performer before being sidelined in mid-January, and striker Lawrence Shankland, who had netted an impressive 15 goals prior to his injury just four days later, are both scheduled to resume full training this week. Their return comes ahead of Saturday's crucial home fixture against Dundee.
Halkett's Optimistic Assessment
Skipper Halkett expressed confidence that the presence of these two influential figures could make a significant difference for Hearts. This optimism follows a disappointing 1-0 away defeat to Kilmarnock, which reduced their lead at the top of the Premiership table to a mere two points.
'It'll be huge,' Halkett emphasized. 'We had Oisin McEntee back, which was a great positive. Everyone knows how important Shanks and Cammy are, and how good a season we were having before they got injured. To get both of them back in full training will be huge. It will give everyone a massive lift.'
He acknowledged that while many teams across the league have faced injury setbacks, Devlin and Shankland represent particularly critical losses. 'Although we've still picked up a lot of positive results, it gives everyone in the squad huge encouragement,' Halkett added, highlighting the psychological impact of their return.
Addressing Recent Setbacks
The defeat at Rugby Park was concerning for manager Derek McInnes, as Hearts were outplayed for much of the match. However, Halkett remains steadfast in his belief that the team still occupies an enviable position with eight games remaining in the season.
'It's just frustrating coming off the back of having a free week last week,' he reflected. 'We had a really good week of training. The boys were ready, but we just never performed well enough. I don't think we started the game anywhere near good enough and put ourselves on the back foot. Too many individual battles went wrong. It's hugely frustrating.'
Maintaining Perspective
Despite the recent stumble, Halkett urged his teammates to maintain perspective. 'We're still in a brilliant position. Anybody else in the league would bite their hand off to be in the position we're in. As disappointing as Saturday was, we've got to remember where we are and where we've been.'
He pointed out that Hearts have been at or near the summit of the table for several months. 'It's important we don't get too disappointed with what's happened. We've lost a big game that we thought we could go and get three points from, but we didn't. We've got to take it on the chin and move on quickly.'
Ignoring External Noise
Drawing parallels to a previous loss at Ibrox, Halkett stressed the importance of focusing internally. 'When we get beat, there's loads of noise from outside. It's up to us as players, coaches and everyone in the building not to listen. It's in one ear, out the other. We just focus on ourselves.'
With the season entering its decisive phase, Halkett outlined the immediate priority. 'The games are getting fewer and fewer but we know what we need to do. The first thing is to bounce back well and win at the weekend.' The returns of Devlin and Shankland could be the catalyst for that resurgence.
